Borders Has a New eBook Store, eReader and Apps

Recently, I told you how to grab plenty of eBooks from Amazon and read them in the free Kindle apps. I had also told you previously how to access thousands of free eBooks using FBReader. I’m not lying when I tell you that I have plenty of stuff to read. Despite that, I was pleased to see that the well known Borders book store was opening an online Borders eBook store. Can they compete with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Books-a-Million and maybe (in the future) Google?

Borders has a little eBook reader named the Kobo, for about $150. It will let you shop, order and read the eBooks over any Wifi connection. It’s very cute and weighs less than 8 ounces. It’s size makes it easy to bring along anywhere you go. The 6-inch display should make reading fairly comfortable.

This last Christmas, my daughter gave me a Borders gift card. At the time, I had no idea if I would ever use it. As soon as I found out that Borders went online, I went out and bought my Christmas present and started reading it in the free Kobo eReader app.

The eReader app isn’t complicated, it’s easy to use and it’s also available on several platforms: PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry and Android.

It’s not so cute, but it does allow you to shop, order and read all the eBooks in the Borders eBook store. Here you can see what it looks like on my Windows netbook (screen rotated by iRotate).

Will the Borders eBook store be a big hit? I can’t say for sure, but I’m enjoying it until my gift card runs out of money. I love to read :)

Do they have free ebooks like the kindle store and Barnes & Noble ebooks store do?

http://news.google.com/news/search?q=clif+sipe Clif

Hi Sam – Yes, I forgot to mention that the Borders eReader does support ePub, and PDF files. However, I haven't tested those yet. – Sorry for not thinking about that ahead of time.

http://afraidmarketer.blogspot.com/ Andreas Krokene

Clif,

I got mine yesterday and am very happy with it. In Australia I was able to buy it for$A199.00 postage paid. One hundred ebooks are included in the price, sourced from the public domain.

http://news.google.com/news/search?q=clif+sipe Clif

Hey Andreas, I am jealous. I’d love to have one of those little eReader devices. I have to settle for using the apps on my netbook. I’ll get by, but I’m still jealous.

diablo

Thank you for the info. I appreciate it. I currently have a Kindle with all my booksonboard eBook titles stored away, but I have actually been looking for another eReader for a friend of mine whose birthday is coming up, and I know she wants something other than the iPad, Kindle, and Nook (which are really the most widely known right now). I will have to keep this mind and add it down to my research list.

http://news.google.com/news/search?author:clif+sipe Clif

No problem Diablo. I like to share things that I have fun with. This was one of them.

Nancy

The Kobo device is very nice. Does everything an eReader should do, is easy to read, and is nice and small. Only problem is the Borders back end. If your book downloads into the MyLibrary app on your Borders account, you are golden…. but Lord help you if it doesn’t. It take hours waiting on the phone, multiple emails, and many days to get what you paid for. Oh, btw… they are very quick to take the money from your bank account, though. And since there is no refund on eBooks, you are at their mercy. I am still waiting to gain access to a book I purchased on the 29th. It has gone from email to phone call to a tech support guy to another tech support guy. Pitiful service.